 10. Future army robots will be among the strongest in the world if visionary researchers have their way. Robots could be armed with artificial muscles made from plastic. Army and academic researchers studied how plastic fibers respond when they're twisted and coiled into a spring. Different stimuli cause the spring to contract and expand, mimicking what natural muscles do. This could potentially augment robot performance, allowing our future mechanical partners to buff up and pump more iron. 9. Army and academic researchers are looking at how to monitor soldier health and performance in real time by developing unique biorecognition receptors. Data can be selectively captured from a complex mixture of sources in theater, like blood, sweat, or saliva. The army of the future may use these wearable sensors to monitor environmental bio threats and health diagnostics. 8. Army researchers and their partners have developed a new, water-based and fireproof battery. These aqueous lithium ion batteries replace the highly flammable electrolyte in lithium ion batteries, using a non-flammable water-based solvent, allowing for batteries to be stored and used at a much broader range of temperatures. This versatility will keep the army running no matter the conditions. 7. Imagine if you could generate power on demand using just a tablet and some water. Army researchers are exploring potential applications for a structurally stable, aluminum-based alloy that reacts with any water-based liquid to produce on-demand hydrogen. Future soldiers would just need to apply some water to a device loaded with a metal tablet and immediately produce hydrogen for a fuel cell. Instant power for lights or radios, even where other sources of power are unavailable. 6. A team of army scientists are 3D printing ultra-strong metal parts from powder. With a method called powder bed fusion, a 3D printer's laser melts the powder into a pattern. The printer then lays additional layers of powder until the part is complete. The end result? A piece of steel that's 50% stronger than anything commercially available. Researchers say this could be a game-changer that could replace parts of today's tanks or future systems. 5. Have you ever wanted to get inside a soldier's head? Army researchers have developed a human interest detector that can determine where people are looking and decode their brain activity. Researchers track neural responses and assess what captures a soldier's attention in threat environments. This will lead to better situational awareness on the battlefield, enable commanders to make better decisions, and ultimately improve the ability of the soldier to team with future AI agents. 4. Building on amazing successes in artificial intelligence, which can even win a game like Jeopardy, army-funded researchers developed a system called Crystal to explore new materials for long-lasting power for soldiers. Crystal relies on a collective of algorithmic bots that sift through hundreds of thousands of combinations and elements, and could identify the next generation of material breakthroughs that will equip soldiers on the future battlefield. 3. An army team has developed a new way to signal teammates in complex environments. They have designed small robots with compact low-frequency antennas and AI to create a system that adaptively self-organizes into a directional antenna array. Add more robots, and the array becomes more focused and has increased range and reliability and could enable targeted communication through buildings and in challenging environments. 2. Imagine a synthetic material that could heal itself when damaged. Army researchers and their partners at Texas A&M have developed a reversible cross-linking epoxy that is 3D printable and, like magic, is self-healing at room temperature without any additional stimulus or healing agent. The unique chemistry of the material even enables it to be programmed to morph shape when stimulated with temperature. Army researchers are exploring whether these materials could create reconfigurable army platforms of the future. 1. How do you train a robot how to think in unknown scenarios? When you don t know what the future battlefield will look like and you have no control to modify the environment to meet the robot s abilities, Army researchers are creating the brain of robots to equip them to interact with unforeseen objects and in unknown scenarios, ultimately preparing them to partner with soldiers on the future battlefield. Thanks for joining us for a look at the top 10 coolest Army science and technology advances of 2019. Follow the links in the notes for more information and subscribe to the lab s channel for future news and information about science and technology for tomorrow s soldiers.